Bloom

He peers over his shoulder at where I’m standing. “Are you saying that was a direct order? I took it as more of a suggestion.”

Dropping my hands to my hips, I shake my head. Adding in a sigh for good measure, I tap my foot on the floor. “You killed those flowers, Liam.”

That spins him around until he’s facing me.

Holy fuck.

His hair is a mess in a very good, very sexy way. He’s unbuttoned the top two buttons of the black shirt he’s wearing, and he’s rolled the sleeves up to his elbows.

“You’ll forgive me, right?”

Tapping my fingertip against my chin, I ponder the question with a bat of my eyelashes. “I don’t know that I can.”

That brings him two steps closer to me. “Tell me how to make it up to you.”

Help me feel things I’ve never felt before.

I keep that to myself as I tilt my head to the left. “I need to give that some thought.”

“Would a kiss help?” His tongue drags a slow path over his bottom lip.

I’m mesmerized by it. Staring at him, I watch as he steps even closer.

He rakes both hands through his mane of hair. “We could try one kiss and see.”

“One kiss,” I repeat once he’s standing in front of me.

His hand moves to my neck. Cupping it around the smooth skin, he fights off a smile. “Do you know how beautiful you are?”

The question sits on the edge of my tongue, so I ask it right back. “Do you know how beautiful you are?”

“You like the way I look?”

I raise my hand tentatively until it’s resting on his jaw. I skim my thumb over his beard. “What’s under this?”

“A man who wants to kiss you.”

I push to my tiptoes and trace a finger over his bottom lip before I press my mouth to his.

Chapter 18

Athena

He kisses me as if I’m the only thing in the world that matters. I feel that. Right now, at this moment, I sense that I’m the only thing on his mind. I’m all he wants.

I melt into his embrace. His arms circle me. One hand glides down my back to the waistband of my jeans. I feel his fingers tap against me before his hand curls into a fist.

He’s fighting it. He’s fighting his desire to touch my skin.

I don’t have that much self-control. I skim both of my hands over the front of his button-down shirt. My lips never leave his. Our kisses deepen with each second that passes.

My fingers start on a button on his shirt.

I want to see more of him. I’m craving the touch of his skin. Just as I undo the button, the jarring sound of a cell phone ringing draws him a step back.

I know it’s not mine. I silenced it earlier. Work can wait until tomorrow.

Liam stares at my mouth as the phone rings inside the pocket of his pants. It stops but immediately starts again.